<font size="4"><font face="comic sans ms,sans-serif">I for one will not participate in a violence-centered approach to sharing self-defense. The primary principle of self-defense is learning how to avoid violence or neutralize. Not actually being offensive. Defense in this respect is more about being responsive.<br>

<br>As for weapons, that is a much higher level of learning and should be introduced in a formal setting where experienced teachers/guides/instructors/trainers can be sure there is a safe setting and practice. Again, for the higher level experienced practitioners.<br>

<br>Considering the responses I&#39;ve gotten from this group, there is a dearth of experienced practitioners. I&#39;m not saying there are none but more people who are new to it that want to learn.<br><br>My interest in hacking martial arts is in the understanding of how to make the internal energy (qi/ch&#39;i/ki) manifest to make external energy (jing/ching/ki) substantial. For everyone, the manifestation comes to them in different ways but the end result is more or less the same.<br>

<br>Hacking of this is more about finding that internal process or feeling, sharing it and working on optimizing or making better ways to realize or manifest that process or feeling.<br><br>Anything else, I am not very interested in. After 40 years of martial arts, rudimentary postures, techniques and repetitive practice is useless without an understanding of the higher levels of subtle energy work that is actually the beginning of practice for all traditional and classical martial arts practice.<br>

<br>Ultimately, being very active and hard-workers you all are, wouldn&#39;t you be more interested in keeping your mind and bodies functional and able to work on your favorite tasks and projects?<br><br>As my great great grandmaster said:<br>

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<p><font size="4">“All sorts of strengths originate in the void and nothingness, which
can only be felt gradually by the tiny edges and corners of the body”.</font></p><font size="4">
</font><p><font size="4">We must, first and foremost, avoid the use of clumsy force, in body
and in mind. Using this force makes the qi stagnant. When the qi is
stagnant, the yi stops; when the yi stops, the spirit is broken.<br>
A small movement is better than a big movement,<br>
No movement is better than a small movement,<br>
Stillness is the mother of all movements.<br>
In quietude you are like a maiden<br>
In motion you are like a dragon.<br>
The mountains seem to fly when you apply your mind,<br>
The seas overflow when you apply your power.</font></p><font size="4">
</font><p><font size="4">One should know that if one can take the time to practice martial
arts, do it without any method, freely and slowly perceiving by
intuition, the results will be great.</font></p><font size="4">
</font><p><font size="4">To sum up, what cannot lead to comfort, happiness, and gaining strength<br>
does not deserve to be called martial art. </font></p><font size="4">
</font><p><font size="4">In movement, slow excels over quick, be relaxed rather than
impatient, the movement should be slight and the spirit full. When one
wants to move one will stop, when one wants to stop one will move,
furthermore, when moving one cannot help but stop, when stopped, one
cannot help but move.</font></p><font size="4">
</font><p><font size="4">Why move? Why be still?<br>
What are the results?<br>
What is the phenomenon in the middle of the process?<br>
Thus perceive by intuition, and you will be approaching the truth!</font></p><br>